For forever, chairlifts at ski resorts have had lift operators. There to help skiers load, to shut down lifts for emergencies, and sometimes for a quick hello, lifties have become a central part of the skiing experience. But could the future of chairlifts be liftie-free?
Austrian ski lift manufacturer Doppelmayr debuted its first Autonomous Ropeway Operation (AURO) lift in December 2020 with the Kumme gondola in Zermatt, Switzerland. What makes the Kumme gondola and AURO lifts special? They do not need lifties. Instead, they rely completely on modern technology to safely and comfortably move skiers up the mountains.
AURO’s AI Sensor Technology
Rather than using lifties, AURO lifts use cameras and sensors to monitor the lifts. The technology continuously hunts for irregular situations, especially during boarding and disembarking. When dangerous situations arise, like passengers falling while loading, the sensors pick up the irregularities in operations. The lift then shuts down or slows automatically.
AURO’s automatic response is driven by artificial intelligence (AI), which uses assisted image processing to evaluate situations and trigger automatic responses. When passengers exit the lift, the AURO CLD system uses multiple camera angles and remains alert, improving safety and allowing for up to 35% in reductions of personnel costs, according to Doppelmayr. When boarding, the lifts use AURO Assist, which monitors passengers’ seating positions and stops the system in potentially dangerous situations. With AI monitoring at both boarding and exiting stations, passenger safety is increased, and operating personnel is supported.
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Away from the lift is the Ropeway Operation Center (ROC), where human ropeway operators oversee the lifts and restart them in the event of a shutdown. Combining the lift’s automatic sensor technology with a remote human operator makes for a safe chairlift with swift, responsive shutdowns. A single ROC can operate the control systems for multiple chairlifts, allowing human operators to “deploy personnel resources in a targeted fashion without compromising safety,” according to Doppelmayr.
Doppelmayr manufactures AURO chairlifts, gondolas, and tramways.
The First of Its Kind
Zermatt’s Kumme gondola is the first to use Doppelmayr’s AURO technology. Beginning its operation in 2020, both the top and bottom stations of Kumme’s stations are unmanned. A single ropeway employee at the middle station monitors the lift from its ROC, observing gondola operation. In the event of an emergency, the ropeway employee is there to call in proper safety personnel and accurately assess the situation.
In case of a simple automatic stoppage, the ropeway employee will restart the gondola when everything is clear.
Doppelmayr manufactured Austria’s first AURO gondola in 2021 with the 10-seater Valisera Bahn I gondola at Saint Gallenkirch.
